Rabat – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Morocco on May 11 to participate in the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daesh, it was confirmed today.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita will also participate in the meeting, which will take place in Marrakech.
Blinken had discussed the Marrakech conference with Bourita during his visit to Morocco in late March, in which he also praised Morocco’s contribution to regional security and the fight against terrorism.
“The Marrakech meeting constitutes another step in the pursuit of international coordination and engagement in the fight against Daesh,” an official communique said today.
The ministers attending the meeting will review actions taken so far to fight the terrorist organization, stabilization efforts in the areas previously affected by Daesh, and strategies to fight against radicalization propaganda and foreign fighters.
In December 2021, the coalition launched its “Africa Focus Group,” a think-tank that aims to improve stability and anti-terrorism measures in the continent. The group is co-chaired by Morocco, Nigeria, Italy, and the US.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates the economic effect of terrorism on Africa to have reached $171 billion in 2019, with the continent having 27 terrorist entities that are on the UN Security Council list as terrorist groups.
Bourita said in the 2021 conference that these groups were responsible for the deaths of over 12,000 people in 2020.
Representatives from the coalition’s over 80 member states and organizations are expected to attend the meeting in Marrakech.
Blinken’s presence is also expected to strengthen the ties and collaboration between Washington, D.C. and Rabat. The Secretary of State had previously touted the long-standing relations between the two and committed to more cooperation across all sectors.
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